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When word came down that the U.S. market was getting all-new versions of the Honda Civic Si and the Volkswagen GTI, we knew a comparison test was inevitable. As we started to envision this match-up between two of the hottest teen idols of the 1980s–both seemingly resurrected to apparent glory after tumultuous 20-year careers–the staff-meeting wheels began spinning out of control. Suddenly, our brains were filled with fantastic fight scenes staged from the urban alleys of L.A. to the barren bends and bowls at Willow Springs Raceway.

While we practice a sooner-is-better approach with regard to testing–our readers deserve timely reporting and our competitors warrant equally timely beatings–we hit a speed bump. The GTI, available with either a standard six-speed manual or an optional dual-clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG), could be had with the latter a few months prior. Tempting, indeed, but would a DSG-equipped GTI represent a fair fight? Especially considering the Civic Si came only with a standard six-speed? After much deliberation, we made a decision: Seeing that a DSG car is a somewhat different animal, we’d wait for the manual GTI. Consider it a symbol of sportsmanship: idol versus idol, no sucker punches.

I To IOur GTI arrived with the requisite manual but without standard summer tires, instead fitted with no-cost-option all-season rubber, which is like shoeing a bowler with cleats. But those were the kicks our Vee-Dub donned, so we were forced to cope.

It wasn’t hard to cope with our neoclassic GTI, whose retro cues–plaid seats, red-painted brake calipers, and black honeycomb grille with red surround stripe–meshed beautifully with the modern Xenon headlamps, heated sideview mirrors, and multifunction steering wheel. Our tester came with two options–a satellite radio/sunroof package ($1370) and rubber floormats ($185)–bringing the price up to $24,175. For well under 25 large, the GTI embodies big bang for the buck, certainly considering that the 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine busts out 200 horsepower at 5100 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque from 1800 to 5000. To keep all that oomph and twist somewhat contained, the GTI gets standard traction and stability control–safety nets unavailable on the Si.

Compared with the upright, wedge-of-havarti GTI–and the previous Dustbuster Si, for that matter–our Si, with its severely raked windshield, big wing, and squinty headlamps, looked downright racy. The Si seems more focused on a younger demographic, a sense reinforced once behind the space-age wheel–designed by Honda‘s humanoid robot, ASIMO–and nestled into the highly bolstered sport seat. Presented with a vast video game-like dash with two tiers of analog and digital entertainment as well as a navigation/satellite radio option ($1750), there’s a zoom-zoom feel to the Si’s cockpit (sorry, Mazda) that entices constant revving of the engine.

Like the GTI’s motor, the Si’s displaces 2.0 liters, yet produces its 197 horses at 7800 rpm sans a turbo but rather via Honda’s i-VTEC variable valve timing and a lofty 11.0:1 compression ratio. But even with the power way up high, it must still come down to the ground. Fortunately, the Si is prepared with a front helical limited-slip differential and, as the case with our tester, optional Michelin summer tires ($200). As equipped, our Si tallied a bill of $22,790.

Bull’s I To say Volkswagen hit the mark with the fifth-generation GTI is an understatement. So improved is the new from the old that the fourth-generation almost deserves to lose its badges. Gone are the staid styling, stale body, and solid rear axle, replaced by a formidable facade, a structure 35 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity, and an independent multilink rear. Moreover, those rear suspenders, in conjunction with a retuned front-strut setup, have vanquished much of the old-gen’s uninvited understeer as well as its affinity for lifting a rear wheel under aggressive cornering. At the track (see sidebar), the GTI’s newfound nimbleness and stability were appreciated more than free beer.

Grab the thick-rimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel–the best-feeling helm this side of a Ferrari–and the GTI’s electric power steering provides clear sensations, turning a run through the canyons into a thrill ride not normally associated with a VW. Steering feel did seem to diminish at the track, however, becoming more numb, as if the electronics were unable to keep up with the action. The four-wheel disc brakes, on the other hand, kept up just fine, although they felt mushier under pedal than the Si’s. They were nonetheless stout, halting the GTI from 60 to 0 mph in 119 feet.

Rarely does a 2.0-liter motor feel like a monster, but the GTI’s 1984cc engine produces enough gusto that it can easily make a 3500-pound Passat Wagon seem sprightly. In a 3143-pound GTI, that becomes super sprightly. The dash from 0 to 60 mph takes 6.3 seconds with the quarter mile waving bye-bye in 14.7 seconds at 94.8 mph. Those times narrowly trail those of the previous-gen’s hot rod, the V-6 R32, which recorded times of 5.9 and 14.2 at 97.6, respectively. The 2.0-liter is so flexible that downshifting becomes almost voluntary, especially at the track, where a drop in gears often bumps peak torque above its 5000-rpm threshold. The six-speed exhibited an easy action that never impeded spirited driving, but next to the Honda’s unit, it felt vague and rubbery, and its clutch too light and insensitive.

If there’s such a thing as a sophisticated pocket rocket, the GTI is it. It’s well-mannered, luxurious, roomy, quiet, and, as a result, a tad dull, lacking the tactile feel of the Si. This no doubt lends broader appeal to the GTI, but it also makes it less fun, whether dashing through downtown, up a mountain road, or around a racetrack. Granted, a GTI with the DSG would paint a decidedly different picture–turning track days into F1 tryouts and freeway gridlock into a one-foot exercise–but it would also jack the price another $905. Add nav ($1800) to match the Si’s equipment level, and a GTI with DSG would sticker for nearly $27,000. As much as we love the DSG, we can’t see its upsides outweighing a $4000 premium or, for that matter, the utter brilliance of the Si’s chassis and powertrain.

I Of The TigerWhereas the GTI always feels like it’s on simmer–with its peaceful demeanor, softer suspension, and low-end grunt–the Si thrives on full boil, giving off the most steam with the engine screaming near 8000 rpm and the raspy exhaust belting its song like AC/DC. With peak torque (139 pound-feet at 6200 rpm) also realized at high engine speeds, the Si must be kept in VTEC mode (6000 to 8000 rpm) to stay with the torquier GTI.

But keep up it does, ripping off a 0-to-60-mph dash of 6.3 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds at 94.7 mph. At the track, the Si was nearly 2.0 seconds a lap quicker, thanks to a front limited-slip diff that effectively puts down power and a suspension that always leaves the Si composed and planted–evidenced by 0.89 g on the skidpad (0.83 for the GTI) and a 26.8-second run through the figure eight (27.2, GTI). Not only does the Si stay flat at the track, it also remains compliant around the city, delivering a taut ride that’s nearly as forgiving as the VW’s.

Unlike the GTI’s electric power steering, whose beauty fades at the track, the Si’s comes alive, vividly relaying the front tires’ limits around every turn; through town, though, the Si’s EPS did feel more artificial than the GTI’s. Once acclimated to the Si’s brakes, which at first seem grabbier than a baby, you’re rewarded with superior feel and power, resulting in the shortest stopping distance from 60 to 0 mph (117 feet) and the deepest braking zones at Willow.

Similar to the GTI’s beefed-up body, the Si’s structure boasts a 35-percent improvement in torsional stiffness, and it feels every bit as solid. Given this sturdy foundation, Honda engineers have worked their chassis magic, producing an Si that’s more tossable, engaging, and responsive than the GTI. You feel at one with the Si, directly connected via the perfectly calibrated throttle and the flick-it fluid gearbox, which is so precise and pleasurable to row that the necessity for downshifts seems more a gift than a chore.

Everything about the Si illustrates Honda’s pursuit of advanced technology and high performance. It invites you in, grabs you by the senses, and doesn’t let go. The Si can make a jaunt to 7-Eleven exciting. Sure, it may look like the boy-racer of the pair, but from behind the wheel, it’s that persona we find so addictive at the end of the day. Whether you want to race, the Si delivers an adrenaline shot–exactly what the ultimate street fighter should do.

On The Horizon…By James Tate

More DoorsOut this fall, the four-door Si–imagine the concept (pictured) minus the Brembo brakes and 18-inch wheels–measures about two inches longer and three inches taller than its coupe sibling. Compared with the coupe, the sedan rides on a two-inch-longer wheelbase and packs 4.3 inches of added rear legroom, but also about 175 extra pounds, which should make it a smidge slower considering it sports the same 2.0-liter i-VTEC four, six-speed manual, and helical LSD. In typical Honda fashion, the price should be identical to the coupe’s.

A few months before the Si sedan arrives, the five-door GTI hits our shores. Inside and out, the five-door features the same dimensions as the three-door, but weighs about 20 extra pounds. The 2.0-liter FSI turbo will provide the power, mated to a six-speed manual or the DSG. Expect to pay about a $500 premium over the three-door. n ron kiino

And More Power!With its robust 247-horse V-6 engine, Haldex all-wheel-drive system, DSG transmission, leather-covered Konig bucket seats, and flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters, the Volkswagen R32 is the ultimate GTI, straddling a fine line between performance and luxury.

Whether you choose to exit corners in a tidy slide or an apex-clipping arc, the real kick is hearing the vociferous VR6 howl to redline, silenced only for milliseconds by the DSG’s click of each new gear–a positively spine-tingling experience, with each shift accompanied by a metallic crack from the center-mounted dual exhaust.

The R32 sits 0.8 inch lower than a stock Golf and feels at home at autobahn speeds, which can be easily erased thanks to large 13.6-inch discs up front and 12.2-inch saucers in back. The snazzy exterior, with bi-Xenon headlamps, a metallic grille, and 18-inch alloys, seems to perfectly complement the progressive interior, which sports polished-aluminum pieces on much of the dash and center console.

VW is sketchy about the R32’s future, but if it comes stateside, our sources tell us it’ll be as a three-door, possibly making its debut in early 2007. Based on our drive, there’s good reason to keep fingers crossed on this side of the Atlantic.

Horsepower

Torque

2006 Volkswagen GTI News and Reviews

Many enthusiasts prefer a rear-wheel-drive platform to a front-wheel-drive alternative if financial realities haven't entered the equation. The change can eliminate the torque steer that plagues certain front-drive vehicles and, when driving at the limit, completely change the car's behavior.So when we recently asked readers what car they would convert to rear-wheel drive if possible, the 100+ comments covering the…

VW Chief Wolfgang Bernhard is finally putting some flesh into his promise to introduce 10 new VW-branded vehicles by the end of the decade, even though some models haven't been determined. One that's made the cut for the 2008 model year is a "new Scirocco," a reprise of the much-loved 1974-1992 Golf-based hatchback coupes.One difficulty facing VW is to separate…

When word came down that the U.S. market was getting all-new versions of the Honda Civic Si and the Volkswagen GTI, we knew a comparison test was inevitable. As we started to envision this match-up between two of the hottest teen idols of the 1980s--both seemingly resurrected to apparent glory after tumultuous 20-year careers--the staff-meeting wheels began spinning out of…